Ask the Appeal: Why Are There So Few Squirrels in SF?

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Why are there so few squirrels in SF? I’m originally from NY/NJ and they’re rampant there… I saw one scurry by the other day and I realized that’s maybe the 3rd squirrel I’ve seen since moving to SF 2+ years ago. Is there any reason why they’re not as common?

Lucy Burlingham, Squirrel Team Leader (yes, there’s a Squirrel Team – AWESOME, right?) at Wildcare Bay Area told me that the paltry amount of squirrels in San Francisco is due to our lack of trees/excess of concrete.

“Squirrels jump from treetop to treetop, and most of San Francisco has lots of concrete and few trees. It’s not squirrel habitat” she says.

If you’re looking for squirrels, head to Golden Gate Park — Belingham said that Jamie Ray, a San Francisco wildlife rehabber, rarely treats squirrels, but when she does they’re almost always from there (due to the trees and the fact that people feed them).

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